Which CFD brokers offer an API for algorithmic trading?
Verdict
- Pepperstone is our pick for algorithmic CFD trading in the UK: it lists API trading, C# bots through cTrader Automate, expert advisors on MT4 and MT5, and a free VPS for eligible and Professional clients.
- IG publishes APIs alongside MT4, MT5, ProRealTime and L2 Dealer, and Saxo offers its OpenAPI; both are FCA-regulated in the UK.
- For most retail algo traders a scripting platform (MetaTrader or cTrader) is the practical route; a raw API suits developers building their own systems.
- Capital.com allows expert advisors on MetaTrader, but our data does not show a public trading API from it.
Algorithmic trading at a CFD broker comes in two forms: a platform that runs your strategy for you, or an API your own code talks to. Pepperstone offers both routes on one UK account, which is why it heads our list.
Pepperstone: three ways to automate
Pepperstone's integrations pages list API trading next to two scripting platforms. cTrader Automate lets you write cBots in C#; MetaTrader 4 and 5 run expert advisors; and eligible and Pro clients can get a free VPS so a strategy keeps running when your computer is off. Automating on Razor keeps costs predictable: raw spreads plus a fixed commission per lot, with cTrader the cheapest at $3.00 per side on FX in a USD account. UK accounts sit with Pepperstone Limited, regulated by the FCA (684312).
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Which brokers offer trading APIs for developers?
Among the FCA-regulated firms in our data, three publish an API: Pepperstone (API trading), IG (APIs listed with its platforms) and Saxo (OpenAPI). The others rely on scripting platforms or their own apps:
| Broker | API | Scripting platforms | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | Yes (API trading) | MT4, MT5, cTrader Automate | Free VPS for eligible and Pro clients |
| IG | Yes | MT4, MT5, ProRealTime | Also L2 Dealer |
| Saxo | Yes (OpenAPI) | MultiCharts and other third-party tools | No MetaTrader |
| Capital.com | Not in our data | MT4, MT5 | Expert advisors allowed |
| CMC Markets | Not in our data | MT4 | — |
| Plus500 | Not in our data | None | Own platform only |
Platform scripting or a raw API?
- Choose MetaTrader if you want ready-made expert advisors and the largest pool of existing code.
- Choose cTrader Automate if you write C# and want lower FX commission at Pepperstone.
- Choose an API if you are building your own execution system, combining data sources, or trading from your own servers.
- Whichever route you take, check order-rate limits, how the broker handles disconnections, and whether your strategy runs within retail leverage of 1:30 on major FX.
Cost of a busy strategy, per 100 lots a month
Algorithms trade often, so commission dominates. At Pepperstone's published Razor average of 0.1 pips on EUR/USD ($1 per lot) plus commission, 100 round-trip lots a month cost about $800 on MT5 ($1 + $7 per lot) and about $700 on cTrader ($1 + $6). On Standard, with no commission and a 1.1-pip average, the same volume costs about $1,100. Overnight financing on positions held past the daily cut-off comes on top.
Sources
Automation and cost terms from the brokers' own pages.
Does Pepperstone allow expert advisors in the UK?
Yes. EAs run on MT4 and MT5, and cBots run on cTrader through cTrader Automate.
Is a VPS free at Pepperstone?
Pepperstone lists a free VPS for eligible clients and Professional clients. Check the qualifying conditions before relying on it.
Can I use TradingView alerts to automate trades?
Pepperstone connects TradingView to Razor and spread betting accounts for trading from the chart. Full automation is better served by MetaTrader, cTrader or an API.
Automated strategies can lose money as fast as manual ones, and coding errors add risk. CFDs are complex, leveraged instruments with a high risk of rapid losses. This page is not investment advice.